This is the first of a two-part series about ultrarunning
on the Internet. This article will discuss the Ultra mailing
list, an e-mail list that allows ultrarunners to communicate
interactively. Next month, I will provide and discuss the most
popular Web sites dedicated to ultramarathoning.

Way back in a time long forgotten--circa 1992, I believe--runners
had to patiently wait until the next issue of Runner's Gazette
or Ultrarunning magazine to get race results. Now, runners have
access to results just days following the event, or sometimes
hours. The best venue to get timely race results is through
the Ultra mailing list.

The Ultra mailing list is an interactive mailing list dedicated
to the sport of ultrarunning. Currently, 1250 individuals from
about 30 countries comprise the list community. An e-mail mailing
list works this way: All participants are connected to a common
server. When an individual posts a comment or question to the
list, it goes to that server which distributes it to everyone
on the list. On an average day, about 50 e-mail messages will
be posted.

The primary benefit of the Ultra list is obvious: You have
access to the collective knowledge and wisdom of over one thousand
ultrarunners. Ask a question and get dozens of responses. Where
else can a novice to a sport communicate so directly and freely
with the sport's elite? Common discussion threads include training
methods, nutrition, injuries, information about specific races,
sports physiology, race-course conditions, and opinions on the
merits of particular races. You'll also be privy to more far-reaching
discussion topics--for example, rating running books and movies,
determining which is the best running camera, comparing the difficulty
of races, determining what jogbra minimizes chafing, and analyzing
the need for a coach.

Perhaps the most anticipated postings are the race reports.
Runners often provide lengthy and detailed accounts of their
race experiences, sometimes stepping the reader through the race
with explicit course description, and sharing the physical and
emotional tribulations they encountered. These recollections
range from merely fascinating to genuinely moving. They are
especially valuable to novice runners still deciding whether
to test the waters of life beyond 26.2 miles.

An ancillary benefit of the Ultra mailing list is that you'll
geographically expand your circle of running friends. This will
enable you to more easily network for out-of-town lodging and
ride-sharing, and provide you more access to handlers and pacers.

Sometimes out of the usual slurry of race results and training
tips arise more heated discussions. Recent contentious topics
include whether runners should wear headphones during races,
the merits of some race directors' policy to require participants
to perform trail maintenance before they can participate, whether
race directors should strive to post race results the morning
following the race, and what constitutes a finish in timed events,
such as 24-hour runs. As with any healthy community, opinions
sometimes vary and tempers have been known to flare. Such dissension
keeps discussions crisp and provoking.

The history of the Ultra list can be traced to December 1993,
when two accomplished (and I would imagine somewhat geekish)
ultrarunners named Joe Jurczyk and Joel Zucker discussed the
possibility of starting an Internet mailing list dedicated solely
to ultras. To determine the level of interest, they queried
existing running mailing lists such as the Dead Runners Society
and the rec.running newsgroup. The response was overwhelmingly
favorable to having a list dedicated to ultras. Jurczyk and
Zucker implemented the list and served as list administrators.

The two list administrators imposed guidelines on what could
be posted: Subject matter had to stay on the topic of ultramarathons.
Discussions, however, often strayed, and the list administrators
frequently had to reel the discussion back to proper subject
matter. Sensing a need for a second ultrarunning e-mail list
that allowed discussions on a more diverse range of topics, Dave
Combs in 1995 developed what was called the IUS-L (Internet Ultra
Society) mailing list. On IUS-L, runners could discuss any topics
they wished, whether it be training, politics, or their favorite
movies.

List evolution was such that most participants subscribed
to both lists, and most e-mails were posted simultaneously to
both lists. As a result, list members received duplicates of
most posts. To reduce the redundancy, the decision was made
to merge both lists. The task was accomplished in January 1999
to the cheers and ballyhoo of list members who were tired of
crammed-full in-boxes. The current charter of the Ultra mailing
list states that its purpose is to "talk about ultra-related
stuff, but that isn't limited to training/racing and other technical
issues." The list administrators are Dave Combs and Joe
Jurczyk.

To subscribe to the Ultra list, do the following: Send a one
line message that says SUBSCRIBE ULTRA First name Last name (naturally,
substitute your names there) to listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu.
You will be quickly notified that you are connected to the list,
and provided with instructions and guidelines. An archive of
past postings to the list can be interfaced through Kevin Sayers
Web site at http://www.fred.net/ultrunr/.